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Sunday, May 18, 2014

5 Monsters We WANT In Godzilla 2

After a decade long absence on the big screen, Godzilla is finally back. Though it may be divisive with a few audience members, Gareth Edwards' Godzilla is a fantastic film that both pays honor to the character's roots but also forges its own path for the king of the monsters. WB and Legendary have officially announced that a sequel is in the works, and many are already wondering which monsters will show up.

With that in mind, I decided to take a look at Toho's catalog of kaiju and see which ones fit best for a sequel, and which ones would be better left off movie screens (look for those later this week!). Even though the MUTO in Godzilla were great monsters and designed exceptionally well, it would be much more exciting for fans to see some more of Toho's classic creations. Below you'll find the 5 monsters that SHOULD appear in a sequel to Godzilla.

5. Kumonga

First Appearance: Son of Godzilla (1967)

Why He SHOULD Be In The Sequel: While he may not be one of Toho's most popular monsters, Kumonga is also one of the less wacky ones in terms of background. The monster is, obviously, a giant spider, meaning it would not be very hard for general audiences to accept him as a character in a Godzilla sequel. In the first film, the MUTO had a striking resemblance to spiders, moths, and roaches, making them a blend of insects...pretty much the perfect kaiju recipe. With the ability to spin giant webs, Kumonga would potentially pose quite a threat to Godzilla in the sequel, though the character has also been known to be one of Godzilla's allies as well. Many people are quite terrified by spiders, so chances are an appearance by Kumonga would help amp up the sequel's creepy factor quite a bit.

4. Rodan

First Appearance: Rodan (1956)

Why He SHOULD Be In The Sequel: Perhaps Toho's third most-known creation, Rodan is one of the only monsters Godzilla fights who got his own movie first. It seems a bit too risky for WB/Legendary to try and give Rodan his own movie before having him face Godzilla (especially when one considers the $400 million spent on making/marketing Godzilla), but the monster HAS to make an appearance in this new franchise at some point. Occasionally a rival, but almost always an ally, Rodan is a pteranodon-like creature who can fly at super sonic speeds, allowing him to level entire cities with a simple fly by. He also has giant spikes on his stomach, which make him deadly up close. In Gareth Edwards' film, we are told that Godzilla is part of a race of creatures which have been on this Earth pretty much since the beginning. Given that both monsters are visually similar to dinosaurs, it would not be too much of a stretch for audiences to believe that Rodan could exist in this world.

3. Anguirus

First Appearance: Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

Why He SHOULD Be In The Sequel: Being the second monster created by Toho, it only makes sense that Anguirus show up in a sequel to Godzilla. Like Rodan before him, Anguirus also resembles a dinosaur, so no worries about an audience not being able to suspend disbelief. The giant ankylosaurus is not Godzilla's fastest ally, but his numerous spikes, teeth, and the sometimes used ability to roll into a ball (think a spiky armadillo) would be more than enough to help Godzilla fight whatever monster is our antagonist for round two. If WB/Legendary did not want to give Godzilla too many allies in this film, it is possible Anguirus could be used as a villain first, saving his role as yet another ally for a third installment. Whether hero or villain, Anguirus deserves a spot in this new series if the studio really wants to pay homage to what Toho has done before.

2. Mothra

First Appearance: Mothra (1961)

Why She SHOULD Be In The Sequel: Toho's second most-known creation (Godzilla being number one, naturally), Mothra is easily one of the most popular kaiju to ever appear on film. Perhaps one of Godzilla's strongest allies, it seems unlikely Mothra would be made a villain if she appears in this series (which she better). One problem which could arise with Mothra is that her development is very similar to that given to the MUTO in the film. As we did not see the MUTO in their larval form, however, it could easily be something which is done to make itself distinct. Although Mothra's cocoon would definitely need some design changes to avoid comparison to the MUTO. Mothra is also accompanied by two twin fairies in the Toho films, so that origin may need some tweaking for the more "realistic" take we are getting in this franchise. That being said, Mothra's being worshiped as a goddess on her island would make for an interesting aspect to explore in the world Gareth Edwards created.

1. Ghidorah

First Appearance: Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

Why He SHOULD Be In The Sequel: On this list we have not covered too many villains. Most of the monsters on here, which definitely deserve a place in this new franchise, are allies of Godzilla. Let that be changed with our number one pick: Ghidorah! Sometimes known as Monster Zero, King Ghidorah is easily Godzilla's most known and most dangerous foe. The three-headed, two-tailed golden dragon has perhaps the greatest design Toho ever came up with that wasn't for Godzilla. With such an iconic look and such a pivotal role in the Toho series of films, it feels like it would be a crime for Ghidorah to NOT have a place in this new Godzilla franchise. What is most problematic about Ghidorah are his origins. With the creature hailing from outer space and often being controlled by aliens, it would be VERY hard to make Ghidorah work in this more realistic world Gareth Edwards has started. Though it would be a mine field of sorts to intricately deal with his intergalactic origins, I have faith that Edwards could give Ghidorah a phenomenal design and some inventive action set pieces to fight Godzilla. Ghidorah MUST be the villain of the sequel....there just needs to be a way to address his alien origins without going too far into Roland Emmerich territory.

What Toho monsters would you like to see featured in a sequel to Godzilla? Agree with this list? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!